Table leg fastening means



Oct. 25, 1949. A SHOENBERG 2,485,784

TABLE LEG FASTENING MEANS Filed Jan. 18, 1946 Patented Oct. 25, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TABLE LEG FASTENING MEANS Abraham J. Shoenberg, Clinton, Mass, assignor to Empire Furniture Manufacturing Company, Clinton, Man, a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 18, 1946, Serial No. 641,937

8 Claims.

This invention relates to tables, and more particularly to an improved construction for fastening the upper portions of the table legs to the frame.

In manufacturing tables with wooden legs, it

has long been the practice to provide a frame comprising four separate boards, known as fapronsj which are positioned in agenerally rectangular arrangement, with their wide surfaces in vertical planes. The ends of the aprons terminate somewhat short of the corners of the rectangle, and the end portions of the aprons are connected by cleats or braces located within the frame. The upper portions of the wooden legs are square and fit against the ends of the aprons, being held in place by screws extending through the cleats and into the legs. While this is satisfactory with wooden legs, it has heretofore been considered necessary to employ a modified frame construction for use with metal legs, and particularly with legs of the double tubular type; Furthermore, the constructions heretofore proposed for attaching metal legs have been expensive, unsightly, and lacking in the required strength and rigidity.

It is accordingly one object of the invention to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive construction for attaching metal legs to a table frame, and particularly to frames of the type commonly used with wooden legs.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a table having a wooden frame and metal legs rigidly and firmly attached thereto by means presenting an attractive appearance.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a comparatively simple and highly "effective bracket for attaching metal legs of the double tubular type to the corners of a table frame.

-With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawing illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts,

Fig. I is a plan view of a table, with a portion of the table top broken away at one corner;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the table;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a bracket.

The embodiment illustrated comprises a frame including four horizontally extending wooden boards or aprons H] (of which only two appear in the drawings). These aprons are positioned in a generally rectangular arrangement, their wide surfaces being located in vertical planes, and their adjacent ends being somewhat spaced apart. At each corner of the frame the adjacent portions of the aprons are connected by a cleat or brace II, which extends across the inside of the corner at an angle of forty-five degrees with the aprons. As shown, the aprons are notched to receive the ends of the cleat, which are fastened to the aprons by means of screws I2. The aprons l0 support the usual flat table top H.

In order that the frame lO-Il may be used with tubular metal legs instead of the usual wooden legs, a novel bracket 18 is provided. This bracket is preferably formed of sheet metal, and as best shown in Fig. 4 it comprises a vertical flat central plate I9 and two curved portions 20 located at opposite sides of the central plate. The portions 20 are shaped to provide vertical cylindrical channels which are integrally joined to the central plate I 9 by fiat connectin portions 22 substantially tangential to the portions 20 and meeting the front or outer surface of the plate l9 at obtuse angles. The front surfaces of the curved portions 20 are convex. It is not necessary that the portions 20 form complete cylinders, but they preferably extend for more man half of a circle. In the embodiment illustrated they extend for approximately 225 degrees, and their axes lie in substantially the same plane as the central plate IS. The plate I9 is provided near its center with a square hole '23, and each portion 20 is provided near its upper edge with a small indentation 24 which forms a small bulge or protuberance 25 (Fig. 3) on the inside of the channel.

Referring now to the assembled table construction as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, it will be apparent that one of the brackets I8 is provided at each corner of the table frame, and that each curved portion or channel 20 receives the upper portion of a vertical tubular metal leg element 21 which fits the channel closely. The upper ends of the leg elements engage the protuberances 25, which serve as stop lugs. The two leg elements 21 at each corner may be entirely separate from one another or, as illustrated, they may be integrally joined at their lower ends by a U-shaped portion 28 adapted to engage the floor. Each bracket I8 is connected to the adjacent cleat I l by means of a carriage bolt 30 having an outer head 3| and a square portion 32 which extends through the opening 23 in the central plate [9. This plate extends across the corner of the table frame, and the curved portions 20 extend in front of the legv elements and overlap the adjacent end portions of the aprons ill. Thus the ends of the aprons are entirely concealed in the completed table, providing a neat and attractive structure. By tightening the bolt 30, a clamp ing pressure will be applied to the front surfaces cluding an upright central plate and two curved tral plate extending across the ends of the aprons and two curved portions at opposite sides of the plate overlapping the end portions of the aprons, the curved portions forming upright channels, fastening means connecting the central plate to the cleat, two upright leg elements with their upper portions located in the respective channels, and a stop lug on the inner surface of each channel near the top thereof to engage the upper end of the corresponding leg element.

4,. .A table comprising twohorizontally extending aprons positioned at an angleto one another with their adjacent ends terminating somewhat short of the apex of the angle, a cleat located "DOItlOIlS OEf the aprons, two upright leg elements of the leg elements by the curved portions 20, and I the bracket and leg elements will be drawn firm Thus. the leg elements are clamped between the bracket and the adja-' The construction,

1y against the aprons.

cent portions of the aprons. obviously permits vertical adjustment of the leg elements relative to the aprons, if necessary, in order that the table may set properly upon an uneven floor.

Since the frame construction is the same as is customarily used with wooden legs, it will be apparent that a manufacturer may produce a stock of frames and then attach either wooden legs or tubular metal legs as the requirements of his customers may dictate. This will appreciably reduce the cost of manufacture and the amount of inventory necessary. The bracketlB may be formed by a simple bending operation from inexpensive sheet steel, and it is preferably plated with chromium or the like as a protection against rust and to enhance its appearance. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A table comprising two horizontally extending aprons positioned at an angle to one another with their adjacent ends terminating somewhat short of the apex of the angle, a cleat located inside the angle to connect the adjacent end portionsof the aprons, a metal bracket extending across the ends of the aprons, the bracket including a central portion and two vertical channels on opposite sides of the central portion, fastening means connecting the central portion of the bracket to the cleat, and two upright tubular metal leg elements with their upper portions located in the respective channels.

2. A table comprising two horizontally extending aprons positioned at an angle to one another with their adjacent ends terminating somewhat short of the apex of the angle, a cleat located inside the angle to connect the adjacent end portions of the aprons, a bracket including an upright central plate extending across the ends of the aprons and two curved portions at opposite withtheir upper portions engaging the outer surfaces of the respective aprons near the ends thereof, a bracket extending across the upper portions of both leg elements and in front thereof to clamp themag'ain's't-the aprons, and fastening means connecting the central portion of the bracket to sides of the plate overlapping the end portions of the aprons, the curved portions forming upright channels, fastening means connecting the central plate to the cleat, and two upright leg elements with their upper portions located in the respective channels.

3. A table comprising two horizontally extendthe cleat.

5., A table comprising two horizontally extending aprons positioned atan, angle to one another with their adjacent endsterminating somewhat short of the apex of the angle, a cleat located inside the angle to connect the adjacent end portions of the aprons, a bracket extending across the ends of theaprons, the bracket including a. central portion and two upright channels on opposite sides of the central portion, fastening means connecting the central'portion of the bracket to the cleat, and two upright leg elements with their upper portions located in the respective channels. a a

6. A table comprising two horizontallyextending aprons positioned at an angle to one another with their'adja centends terminatin somewhat, short of the apex of the angle, a cleat located inside the angle to connect the adjacent end portions of the aprons, two upright leg elements with their upperportionslocated adjacent the end portions of the aprons,-a bracket extending across in front of the leg elements, the bracket including a central portion and two upright channels on opposite sides of the central portion, the upper portions of the leg elements being positioned within the respective channels, and fastening means connecting the central portion of thebracket to the cleat.

7. A table comprising two horizontally extending aprons positioned atan angle to one another with their. adjacent ends terminating somewhat short of the apex of the angle, a cleat located inside the angle to connect. the adjacentend portions of the aprons, two upright legelements with their upper portions adjacent theend portions of the aprons and infront thereof, a bracket extending across theupper portions of the leg elements and infrontthereof, and fastening means connectingthe central portion of the bracket to the cleat and arranged to pull the bracket rearwardly, toward the cleat, thereby clamping the leg elements between the bracket and the adjacent portions of the aprons;

8. A table comprising two horizontally extendthe aprons and in front thereof, a bracket inportions at opposite sides of the central plate forming upright channels, the curved portions extending across the upper portions of the respective leg elements and in front thereof, and fastening means connecting the central plate to the cleat and arranged to pull the bracket rearwardly toward the cleat, thereby clamping the leg elements between the curved portions of the bracket and the adjacent portions of the aprons.

ABRAHAM J. SHOENBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Oppenheimer Aug. '7, 1866 Calton Aug. 2, 1932 Booth May 19, 1942 Greltzer Nov. 17, 1942 Ferguson Oct. 9, 1945 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,485,784 October 25, 1949 ABRAHAM J. SHOENBERG It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: A

Column 4, line 1, strike out the syllable and words eluding an upright central plate and two curved and insert the same in column 5, line 1, after the syllable and hyphen in;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same'may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 14th day of February, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

